Charge support means for mortar weapon



y 1967 A. J. LA ROUCHE 3,331,323

CHARGE SUPPORT MEANS FOR MORTAR WEAPON Filed March 29, 1966 2 SheetS-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ADPIAN J. POUCH W "1 r I July 18, 19 67 A. J. LA ROUCHE 3,331,323

VCHARGE SUPPORT MEANS FOR MORTAR WEAPON Filed March 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ADRIAN .LWCHE Y:W7 J%) #1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,331,323 CHARGE SUPPORT MEANS FOR MORTAR WEAPON Adrian J. La Rouche, 1410 S. Clay Ave., Jacksonville, II]. 62650 Filed Mar. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 538,927 Claims. (Cl. 10249.2)

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to charge support means and, more particularly, to an increment bag holding arrangement for use with a mortar weapon or the like.

Increment bag holders previously employed have not functioned satisfactorily under operative conditions, es pecially where rapid determinations require a variance in amount of charge to be employed in a Weapon when the target has reached a modified range position.

It is an object of the invention to provide an increment bag holder arrangement that affords a simple and efficient means to remove or replace cloth increment bags or mortar shells, thus facilitating rapid changes in operative range conditions regardless of the weather or temperature environment.

In one aspect of the invention the arrangement includes a pair of radially spaced concentric rings, one having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending transverse openings, and a plurality of rods each having tapered head portions to abut opposed ring surfaces and a shank portion extending through a respective opening, one of the rings having a sufliciently small thickness and means for attachment to a supporting body.

These and other objects, features and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a mortar shell having a charge support arrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the novel increment holder employed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view of the FIG. 2 holder.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial view similar to the FIG. 3 arrangement with certain parts moved to other positions.

The projectile or shell body 11 (FIG. 1) of a mortar shell or the like is provided with an appropriate rear closure 12 having a reduced threaded portion 13 for se-' curing the internally threaded forward portion 15 of a boom 14. The central cavity 16 of the boom accommodates an ignition cartridge 17 and is in fluid communication with the boom exterior via the boom lateral passages 18. The reduced threaded boom rear extension 19 receives a suitable ring member 20 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced hook members 21 extending outwardly therefrom, the hub portion 22 of fin assembly 23 having a forward internally threaded portion 24 to secure ring 20 in position upon the boom, as well as an appropriately formed internally threaded rear portion 25 for securing a suitable plug of a percussion primer arrangement shown generally at 26 that communicates with cartridge 17 through longitudinal boom passage 27.

The preferred increment bag holding arrangement shown generally at 30 (FIGS. 1, 2) is secured by its threaded portion 31 (FIGS. 3, 5) to the shell closure reduced portion 13 intermediate the locking boom forward portion 15. The holder 30 includes a pair of concentric rings 32, 33 which are normally radially spaced apart a predetermined distance. Preferably, outer ring 33 has a sufiiciently small thickness so as to bend or flex when an appropriate force is applied thereto, and inner ring 32 has a relatively larger thickness and has internal threads 31 for attachment to the supporting body portion 13.

Ring 33 has a plurality of longitudinally extending .transverse openings 34 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5) that are circumcured-in acute angular positions (FIG. 5) relative to the axis of the rings 32, 33. Each rod head portion 38, positioned between the concentric rings 32, 33 has its opposite ends provided with substantially a 45 conical or tapered surface 39, 40 such that selective parallel surface portions of the tapers 39, 40 may engage or abut opposed surface portions of the respective rings 32, 33 in their normal radially spaced condition (FIG. 5) and the longitudinally outward extremities of the tapered portions 39, 40 will engage (FIGS. 2, 3) the adjacent ring surfaces when at least corresponding portions of flexible ring 33 are stressed to accommodate this relatively larger head dimension as the respective rod 36 approaches such transverse position.

Preferably, a propellant charge containing increment bag is spirally wrapped about the boom periphery and a plurality of similar increment bags are secured by their appropriate apertured ends to respective pairs of hooks 21 and rod shanks 37 (FIG. 1). The shank 37 (FIG. 5) is moved from its holding position to the bag removing or releasing position (shown in dotted lines), particularly when one or more propellant bags are to be rapidly re moved under less than maximum range conditions. The advantages are even more pronounced when arctic climatic conditions require operative personnel to wear heavy mittens.

Various modifications, changes or alterations may be resorted to Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An increment bag holder for use with a mortar Weapon and the like comprising,

a pair of concentric rings radially spaced apart a predetermined distance, one of said rings having a plu rality of longitudinally extending transverse openings therethrough, said openings being circumferentially spaced about said one ring, one of said rings having a sufficiently small thickness so as to flex when an appropriate force :is applied thereto and the other of said rings having a relatively larger thickness and means for attachment to a supporting body, and

a plurality of rods positioned in corresponding ones of said openings, each rod having both a head and shank portion, each shank portion extending through its rsepective opening, each head portion having opposed tapered end portions for abutting opposed surfaces of said rings,

so constructed and arranged that said rods may be releasably secured in acute angular positions relative to the axis of said rings.

2. The structure in accordance with claim 1 whereinthe longitudinal ends of said openings are tapered outwardly to accommodate said rod shanks in their angular positions.

3. In a mortar weapon having a shell,

2. pair of concentric rings radially spaced apart a predetermined distatnce, one of said rings having a plurality of longitudinally extending transverse openings therethrough, said openings being circumferentially spaced about said one ring, one of said rings having a sufficiently small thickness so as to flex when an appropriate force is applied thereto and the other of said rings having a relatively larger thickness and means attaching said other ring to said shell,

a plurality of rods positioned in corresponding ones of said openings, each rod having both a head and shank portion, each shank portion extending through its respective opening, each head portion having opposed tapered end portions for abutting opposed surfaces of said rings, and

a plurality of charge containing increment bags removably attached to said rod shank portions,

so constructed and arranged that said rods may be relcasably secured in acute angular positions relative to the axis of said rings to facilitate assembly and removal of said bags.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which the longitudinal 4 ends of said openings are tapered outwardly to accommodate said rod shanks in their angular positions.

5. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said shell is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced hook members extending outwardly therefrom, each hook member and corresponding rod shank adapted to secure a particular bag in a predetermined position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1955 Garrahan 102-492 10/1956 Burke lO2--49.2 

1. AN INCREMENT BAG HOLDER FOR USE WITH A MORTAR WEAPON AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, A PAIR OF CONCENTRIC RINGS RADIALLY SPACED APART A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, ONE OF SAID RINGS HAVING A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING TRANSVERSE OPENINGS THERETHROUGH, SAID OPENINGS BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED ABOUT SAID ONE RING, ONE OF SAID RINGS HAVING A SUFFICIENTLY SMALL THICKNESS SO AS TO FLEX WHEN AN APPROPRIATE FORCE IS APPLIED THERETO AND THE OTHER OF SAID RINGS HAVING A RELATIVELY LARGER THICKNESS AND MEANS FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SUPPORTING BODY, AND 